Police chief to be 'star witness' in case against The Page

PORTSMOUTH — A June 27 hearing is scheduled for state Liquor Commission officials to hear evidence against The Page Restaurant and Sports Bar, which faces possible civil and criminal penalties related to the April 5 beating of Page patron Joshua Krantz, 24, who later died at his Dover home from a head injury.

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By Elizabeth Dinan

seacoastonline.com

By Elizabeth Dinan

Posted Jun. 19, 2013 at 3:59 PM
Updated Jun 19, 2013 at 4:43 PM

By Elizabeth Dinan

Posted Jun. 19, 2013 at 3:59 PM
Updated Jun 19, 2013 at 4:43 PM

» Social News

PORTSMOUTH — A June 27 hearing is scheduled for state Liquor Commission officials to hear evidence against The Page Restaurant and Sports Bar, which faces possible civil and criminal penalties related to the April 5 beating of Page patron Joshua Krantz, 24, who later died at his Dover home from a head injury.

City Attorney Robert Sullivan said next week's hearing will comply with a City Council order that the city seek revocation and/or prevent renewal of The Page's liquor license. Sullivan said the city's “star witness” will be Chief of Police Stephen DuBois, who previously presented the council with a report detailing over 100 police-related incidents at The Page under current ownership.

The Page's liquor license expired May 31 and according to Liquor Enforcement Director Jim Wilson, state law allows the establishment to serve drinks under the expired license until the administrative case is adjudicated. The law, he said, states there must be a hearing before the commission can take any action.

Charged in connection with Kranz's beating is Zachary O'Neill, 24, of 12 New York Street, Dover. According to police, O'Neill repeatedly struck Krantz on the head in a downstairs lounge at The Page, during an unprovoked attack, because Krantz spilled a drink on him earlier that evening.

The incident was not reported to police and Krantz did not receive medical treatment, police said.

Krantz's cause of death has been classified as “a fractured skull resulting in an acute epidural hematoma.”

O'Neill is charged with a felony count of first-degree assault and if convicted, faces seven to 10 years in the state prison. Police said the charge could be upgraded if Kranz's manner of death is deemed a homicide and Rockingham County Attorney Jim Reams said Wednesday that he's still waiting for an autopsy report from the state medical examiner's office.

According to Rockingham County House of Corrections Superintendent Steve Church, O'Neill was transferred to the Strafford County jail on June 17 to begin serving a sentence for beaching bail conditions. He remains held on $250,000 cash bail for the Portsmouth charge, Church said.

At the time Kranz was assaulted, O'Neill was on bail for a misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct, related to a January 2012 brawl at the High-Hanover parking garage, police said.

Meanwhile, New Adventures Entertainment LLC, the corporate owner of The Page, is facing two related felonies, one alleging the sale of alcohol in a restricted area — a dance floor — and the other alleging alcohol was served on the restricted dance floor. If convicted, The Page faces a fine of up to $100,000.

In May, a Rockingham County Superior Court grand jury found sufficient evidence that staff at The Page allowed alcohol on the dance floor where Kranz was beaten hours before his death. The charges were brought by Reams.

According to Superior Court records, The Page entered a not guilty plea through attorney Matthew Stachowske, from the Portsmouth firm of Hoefle, Phoenix, Gourmley and Roberts. The Page previously reported to the City Council that it made $66,000 worth of improvements over the past two years, at the city's request, including the addition of lighting and security cameras in and around the establishment, and that it donated regularly to local charities.

That case is scheduled for a July 9 structuring conference in the county Superior Court and there is a target trial date scheduled for Feb. 4, 2014.